• 📅 Vacation Scheme Applications 2025–26

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  1. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hi @bella98 I just wanted to add my perspective to @Ram Sabaratnam's excellent points and to also use the opportunity to do a bit of overanalysis of the 'theory' behind an optimal 'why commercial law' answer. I think there are essentially two ways you can make a 'intersection of business and...
  2. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    I think it is a good idea to list more experiences under one heading when there is a natural way you can organize them under a label. What you mentioned are good examples of that, so you can definitely put down broader headings such as 'university society roles' or 'volunteering roles' or 'law...
  3. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    I think this is a question that is meant to enable you to showcase some of your personality. I would not focus too much on the word 'inspirations', I interpret the prompt to cover a discussion of any enterprise or activity that is of value to you outside of school and professional endeavors. The...
  4. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hi @A worried graduate if your question is as to whether it is worth applying regarding success chances in view of particular circumstances, feel free to give me a bit more detail and I will be happy to give you my view on that. If your question is more to the effect of whether Simmons and...
  5. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hi @a1024 the basic answer is that you should still deal with the same 3 big questions (why commercial law, why the firm, why you) in the cover letter but that you should also (i) employ a more narrative structure - walk the reader through your journey and decision-making rather than giving...
  6. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hi @molak202 the short answer I would give you is no. There's two main reasons for that. Firstly, applications for a VS are significantly more competitive than for an open day and as such the standards recruiters hold your answers to will be commensurately higher. What makes for a good enough...
  7. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    I think generally if the question is just framed as a simple 'Why commercial law?' one there is no need to integrate 'why this firm' elements as well. In fact, I think it is advisable not to do so, as you risk muddling your points and thus reducing focus and clarity. Since in this case there is...
  8. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    I think @Amma Usman and @Ram Sabaratnam might know more, but I would also not expect this to be the case. My perception at least is that most firms do not have a policy of immediately black listing a candidate from future opportunities for only missing one event. I also know a number of people...
  9. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hi @pleasepleaseplease I agree with @Jessica Booker's points, and I expect @Ram Sabaratnam and @Amma Usman will also have very valuable inputs. To elaborate on how I think you could go about making the 'past-focused' why the firm reasons 'future-focused' distinction: Some reasons are inherently...
  10. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hi @studentdelaw786 there are indeed some US firms that are more oriented towards university prestige. I would assume that is likely a corollary of the so called 'campus interviews' recruitment system in the US, where firms go to the campuses of 'elite' laws schools and interview applicants...
  11. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Three benefits I would consider writing about include: Better for qualification decision making: a six-seat TC gives you 50% more options of seats you can qualify in. Moreover, by trying more practice areas and assessing commonalities and differences, you will automatically be in a better...
  12. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hi @a1024 so to separate the questions: A. For structuring, as in other cases you can make a number of different approaches work, but I would go for something like: Explain a development taking place in the legal industry, and take care to focus on showing why this has been innovative - how is...
  13. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hi @James Wakefield while you may know about some of them already, here are resources I recommend: TCLA Eversheds Law Firm Profile A useful thread discussing Eversheds' application questions A thread on one of Eversheds' situational judgement questions An older thread on how to generally...
  14. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2024-5

    "Within 5 days" can mean different things for different firms, depending on whether they take a "day" to mean a full calendar day (which could or could not include Tuesday itself in the count) or simply a 24 hour period. My advice with these situations is to always err on the side of caution and...
  15. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2024-5

    Hi @DesperateForVac while I do not know much about the specifics of the CMS VI but I will quote bellow a useful post I made on the topic. It is from a very thorough guide I wrote about competency interviews which describes the approach I followed (which led to post VI progression 4/5 times), but...
  16. Andrei Radu

    Which firms host virtual assessment centres?

    Hi @hibah I know last year Slaughter and May and Davis Polk had virtual assessments. I have also heard White & Case offers the option of online assessments.
  17. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hey @lawyersum I will firstly just caveat the following by mentioning that the subject of the merits of this international strategy is a controversial one. I have analyzed this topic from the perspective of a firm operating this model in a lot of detail when writing TCLA's updated Slaughter and...
  18. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hi @C_AJH while I sympathize with your situation and agree with your thoughts as to how bullet points are more efficient, unfortunately the default expectation of recruiters is that you will write in prose. I have hear different justifications for this from different recruiters, but most often...
  19. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hi @Unknowncabbage I and a some other forum members have considered different a few different approaches to this question before. Long story short, I do not think you need to worry too much about it and I believe you should just focus on thoroughly analyzing the impact of the times you have...
  20. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    I see - consider contacting someone from your university about this and ask what types of documents do they offer as proof of module results.

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